Metal casting method and apparatus



p 1965 A. w. SCRIBNER 3,208,112

METAL CASTING METHOD AND APPARATUS Original Filed Nov. 1, 1961 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,208,112 METAL CASTING METHOD AND APPARATUS AlbertW. Scribner, 6 Country (Hub Road, Darien, Conn. Original applicationNov. 1, 1961, Ser. No. 149,378, now Patent No. 3,120,037, dated Feb. 4,1964. Divided and this application Oct. 31 1963, Ser. No. 320,069 9Claims. (Cl. 2257.5)

This invention relates to the continuous casting of metal and the likeso as to form elongated strip type products. This application is adivisional application of my copending parent application Ser. No.149,378 filed November 1, 1961, for Continuous Casting; now US. Patent$7 3,120,037.

One object of the invention is to provide a novel method and apparatusfor continuous casting of metal whereby a rapid plurality of successiveimpact working strokes are applied to the side of the work metal that isprogressively hardened while moving through an open ended castingpassage.

One object of the instant invention is to provide a novel method andapparatus for continuously casting metal whereby a plurality of moldparts are oscillated at high speed so as to more efficiently conduct thework metal through an open ended casting passage defined by said moldparts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel method andapparatus for continuously casting metal whereby forming and feedingforces are applied to the sides of the work metal by the high speedintermittent contact of an operative mold casting surface with the saidsides of the work metal.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the disclosureprogresses.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a sectional side elevational view illustrating one embodimentof the instant invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating a modified version of theFIG. 1 apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view in partial section illustrating aportion of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

The continuous casting system shown in FIG. 1 contemplates the provisionof a pair of cooperating casting members that are mounted for vibratorytype movement whereby the linear or arcuate cyclic oscillations thereofserve to feed, cool and form the molten metal to be cast. The embodimentshown in FIG. 1 comprises a pair of cooperating tubular casting rolls ordrums 10 and 11 that are mounted for rotation about their respectiveaxes 12 and 13 and also for independent timed planetary or eccentricmovement about the respective axes 14 and 15 as illustrated by thedotted line circles. The eccentricity between the axes of rotation andplanetation have been exaggerated here for the purpose of clarity; theactual eccentricity being in the order of a fraction of an inch.

The rolls 10 and 11 are rotatably mounted in eccentrically disposedapertures formed in the bearing bushings and 21, FIG. 3, which in turnare rotatably mounted in the side frames 23 that are secured to acontainer 24. The bushings 20, 21 are rotatably interconnected bysuitable gears 25 and 26 which are driven by a motor 27 through asuitable pinion 28 and in this manner the rolls 10, 11 may be planetatedin synchronism. Each roll is also adapted to be rotatably driven abouttheir respective axes by means of a motor 30 through suitable gearingsuch as 31 and universal joints 32. Thus a controlled separate rotativedriving or braking force may be applied to rolls 10, 11 duringplanetation thereof. The planetary movement of rolls 10, 11 serves toimpart a continuous series of working strokes or impacts to the side ofthe work metal that is progressively moving through the casting passageeffectively defined by the operational peripheral casting surfaces ofsaid rolls. Thus the work metal is progressively hardened, formed,reduced and fed along the casting passage. The rolls 10, 11 may beprovided with suitable end flanges, or stationary frame mounted flangesmay be used, to close the gap between the respective ends of said rollsthereby completing the closed sectional profile of the casting passageof the mold means. A driven pair of pinch rolls 33, 34 rotatably mountedon the side frames serve to apply a tension force to the metal stripleaving the casting station.

The rolls 10, 11, which may be provided with suitable cooling means, aredisposed over the container 24 so as to be slightly immersed in thereservoir of molten metal 35 during their working strokes, and moltenmetal 35 may be maintained at a substantially constant level by overflowmeans 36. The direction of planetation is indicated by arrows 37 whilethe direction of rotation of rolls 1!), 11 is respectively opposite asindicated by arrows 38. The relative rates of planetation and rotationof each roll may be such that the net peripheral speed of the outer rollsurface produces a true rolling or rocking movement as the roll swingsupwardly while in contact with the Work metal 40 between said rolls.Said relative speeds may be adjusted so that the operative roll surfacesimpart a net upward or downward frictional force to the roll contactingskin surfaces of the freezing metal 40 by means of said driving orbraking forces as applied to rolls 10, 11 by motor 30 and gearing 31,32. As the rolls swing through each cyclic eccentric movement a smallportion of work metal is thereby gathered and the minute pumping actionof the eccentn'cally moving rolls tends to feed the metal up between therolls. This eccentric movement also tends to percussively form thefreezing work metal 40 and to thereafter force the metal through theroll gap. The speed of planetation is made high enough to overcome thetendency of the work metal 40 to fall back between the intermittentgathering actions of the eccentrically moving rolls, these speeds beingin the order of 10 to 30 cycles or revolutions per second or higher.During the periodic short time intervals that the rolls surfaces are outof contact with the work metal 40 a cooling gas from nozzles 41 maycirculate around the rolls. The bottom of container 24 may be contouredas shown and provided with cooling passages 42 or similar means to helpin cooling the central part of the work metal 40.

The phase relation between roll planetary movement may be varied, andone or more of the various rotational and planetary directions may bereversed so that various combinations of phase and direction of rollmovement may be obtained. One of the rolls 10, 11 may be provided withend flanges and the roll surfaces may be roughened or slightly groovedto increase the gathering and pumping action mentioned above. Therotational speed and/or planetary speed for one roll may be differentfrom that of the other roll. Also the eccentricity of the respectiveroll movement may be different.

A modification of the apparatus of FIG. 1 is illustrated in FIG. 2. Herethe larger diameter roll 11a, which may have a suitable cooling means ismounted for rotational movement only. The smaller flanged roll ltla ismounted for rotational and planetary movement as above described forrolls 10 or 11, the degree of eccentricity or the radius of planetationof the outer surfaces of roll 10:; being substantially the same as theeffective radius of the larger roll 11a. Instead of being mounted forcircular oscillation as in FIGS. 1 and 3 the casting rolls may beoscillated through closed loop rectangular type or linear strokes asillustrated by arrows 43 and 44 of FIG. 1. Also the work metal may befed to the top of rolls 10, 11. In place of either roll 10a or 11a astationary anvil may be used having a concave cylindrical surface whichcooperates with the other roll so as to form an arcuately extendingcasting station.

While several embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerousvariations and modifications may be made in the particular constructionwithout departing from the underlying principles of the invention. It istherefore desired by the following claims to include within the scope ofthe invention all such variations and modifications wherebysubstantially the results of the invention may be obtained by the use ofsubstantially the same or equivalent means.

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of continuously casting metal: comprising the steps ofproviding a source of work metal;

establishing an open ended casting passage through which said work metalmay pass in being progressively cast;

positioning at least one casting roll so as to effectively define aportion of said casting passage;

progressively admitting work metal to said casting passage;

rapidly translating said casting roll relative to said work metal sothat said casting roll successively rolls over the side of the workmetal in said casting passage whereby rapid successive rolling workstrokes are applied to the work metal that is progressively passingthrough said casting passage, the rolling advance of said casting rollduring said rolling work strokes thus being substantially independent ofany bodily advancing movement of the work metal then in said castingpassage; and

progressively withdrawing cast work metal from said casting passage. 7

2. The method defined by claim 1: additionally comprising controllingsaid translational movement of said casting roll so that the latterswings successively into and out of engagement with the said side of thework metal in said casting passage while moving through a substantiallyclosed loop path whereby the successive rolling work strokes of saidcasting roll occur in the same rolling direction.

3. The method defined by claim 1: additionally comprising controllingthe translating movement of said casting roll so that the latteroscillatably rolls back and forth over the side of the work metalpassing through said open ended casting passage.

4. The method defined by claim 1: additionally comprising applying asuperimposed rotational torque to the casting roll during the rollingwork strokes of the latter whereby longitudinal forces may be applied bysaid casting roll to the said side of the work metal passing throughsaid casting passage.

5. The method defined by claim 1: additionally comprising positioning asecond casting roll in opposed cooperating relation with respect to thefirst mentioned roll so as to effectively define another portion of saidcasting passage; and

controlling the motion of said second roll whereby a succession ofmutually timed roll working forces may be applied to opposite sides ofsaid work metal passing through said casting passage.

6. In an apparatus for continuously casting metal:

a frame;

a pair of casting members operatively supported by said frame in opposedand cooperating relation so as to define at least a portion of an openended casting passage, at least one of said casting members comprising acasting roll;

the supporting means for said casting roll including,

bearing means for supporting said casting roll for rotational movementabout the roll axis, and

mounting means carried by said frame for supporting said bearing meansso that said casting roll may partake of a planetary movement;

drive means for swinging said casting roll through its planetarymovement so that rolling work strokes may be applied to the work metalin said casting passage; and

torque applying means for applying a superimposed rotational torque tosaid casting roll during the said planetary movement thereof wherebylongitudinal forces may be applied by said casting roll during saidrolling work strokes to the side of the work metal that is in saidcasting passage.

7. Apparatus as defined by claim 6 wherein the other of said castingmembers comprises a second casting roll, and wherein the said planetarymovement of the first mentioned casting roll occurs in a plane that issubstantially parallel to the plane of movement of the work metalthrough said casting passage.

8. In an apparatus for continuously casting metal:

a frame;

a plurality of bearing members rotatably mounted on said frame;

a pair of opposed and cooperating casting rolls rotatably mounted insaid bearing members, the axes of each of said casting rolls and theassociated bearing members being eccentrically offset whereby each ofsaid casting rolls is capable of partaking of simul taneous rotationaland planetary movement;

the cooperating operative surfaces of said opposed casting rollsdefining at least a portion of an open ended casting passage;

means for rotatably interconnecting the related bearing members formutually timed rotational movement; and

drive means for rotatably driving said bearing members whereby saidcasting rolls are thereby planetated in timed relation and are arcuatelyswung towards and away from each other so as to substantiallysimultaneously impart successive rolling work strokes to the oppositesides of the work metal moving through said casting passage.

9. Apparatus as defined by claim 8: additionally comprising torqueapplying means for applying a superimposed rotational torque to saidcasting roll during the said planetary movement thereof wherebylongitudinal forces may be applied by said casting roll to the side ofthe work metal that is in said casting passage.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS J. SPENCEROVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner.

MARCUS U. LYONS, Examiner,

1. A METHOD OF CONTINUOUSLY CASTING METAL; COMPRISING THE STEPS OFPROVIDING A SOURCE OF WORK METAL; ESTABLISHING AN OPEN ENDED CASTINGPASSAGE THROUGH WHICH SAID WORK METAL MAY PASS IN BEING PROGRESSIVELYCAST; POSITIONING AT LEAST ONE CASTING ROLL SO AS TO EFFECTIVELY DEFINEA PORTION OF SAID CASTING PASSAGE; PROGRESSIVELY ADMITTING WORK METAL TOSAID CASTING PASSAGE; RAPIDLY TRANSLATING SAID CASTING ROLL RELATIVE TOSAID WORK METAL SO THAT SAID CASTING ROLL SUCCESSIVELY ROLLS OVER THESIDE OF THE WORK METAL IN SAID CASTING PASSAGE WHEREBY RAPID SUCCESSIVEROLLING WORK STROKES ARE APPLIED TO THE WORK METAL THAT IS PROGRESSIVELYPASSING THROUGH SAID CASTING PASSAGE, THE ROLLING ADVANCE OF SAIDCASTING ROLL DURING SAID ROLLING WORK STROKES THUS BEING SUBSTANTIALLYINDEPENDENT OF ANY BODILY ADVANCING MOVEMENT OF THE WORK METAL THEN INSAID CASTING PASSAGE; AND PROGRESSIVELY WITHDRAWING CAST WORK METAL FROMSAID CASTING PASSAGE.
 6. IN AN APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY CASTING METAL;A FRAME; A PAIR OF CASTING MEMBERS OPERATIVELY SUPPORTED BY SAID FRAMEIN OPPOSED AND COOPERATING RELATION SO AS TO DEFINE AT LEAST A PORTIONOF AN OPEN ENDED CASTING PASSAGE, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID CASTING MEMBERSCOMPRISING A CASTING ROLL; THE SUPPORTING MEANS FOR SAID CASTING ROLLINCLUDING, BEARING MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID CASTING ROLL FOR ROTATIONALMOVEMENT ABOUT THE ROLL AXIS, AND MOUNTING MEANS CARRIED BY SAID FRAMEFOR SUPPORTING SAID BEARING MEANS SO THAT SAID CASTING ROLL MAY PARTAKEOF A PLANETARY MOVEMENT; DRIVE MEANS FOR SWINGING SAID CASTING ROLLTHROUGH ITS PLANETARY MOVEMENT SO THAT ROLLING WORK STROKES MAY TORQUEAPPLYING MEANS FOR APPLYING A SUPERIMPOSED ROTATIONAL TORQUE TO SAIDCASTING ROLL DURING THE SAID PLANETARY MOVEMENT THEREOF WHEREBYLONGITUDINAL FORCES MAY BE APPLIED BY SAID CASTING ROLL DURING SAIDROLLING WIRK STROKES TO THE SIDE OF THE WORK METAL THAT IS IN SAIDCASTING PASSAGE.